


Best Shot

by Jaseish (Kymopoleia)



Category: LoliRock (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Backstory, F/M, Friendship, Halphas Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 10:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12933480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kymopoleia/pseuds/Jaseish





	Best Shot

Mephisto didn't hate the princesses anymore. Hell, he might not have ever actually hated them, just wanted more than he could have and felt that ache in his throat like a thorn in a cratsini's paw, lashing out and reveling in his and his sister's actions.

But in the same breath?

He closed his eyes and leant his head back against the bathroom wall, tears still stinging his cheeks and throat still raw.

The door opens slowly. His eyes don't.

"Mephisto?"

Oh, it was Talia.

He'd always expected Iris to be the type to forgive and talk about problems immediately.

He sighs.

"What do you want?"

The door shuts, and there's the sound of her bare feet padding over the chilly tile. "May I sit?"

"You'll do as you please."

She settles down next to him, her thigh brushing his, and he lets out a breath.

They're silent for a moment, just the fluorescent light over the mirror and the still-damp towel hanging on the wall behind him, the burning spot on his face where Iris had slapped him and the shame thrumming through his fingertips that he'd almost struck back.

Mephisto opens his eyes slowly, letting them readjust.

Talia's short hair dusts her chin, her amber eyes focused on him.

He's unsure of what to say.

She seems to study the red spot on his face, then sighs and looks away.

Something twists in his gut.

"What, princess?" He spits, nose flaring and face twisting to one of disgust, to hide the prickling in his eyes, the hammering in his throat.

"She shouldn't have hit you."

He pauses, the look melting.

"What?"

"What I said, Mephisto." She glanced at him. "I heard the fight, and even if I don't agree with you, she shouldn't have done that."

Of course they'd been loud enough for every princess to know all their business. Just his luck.

"But you still don't agree with me?"

"That's... tough."

His eyebrows furrow.

"Well, the queen isn't perfect. We all knew that, didn't we?" She cracks a smile. "But she's still our queen, and she's still a Halphas, and she's still Iris' mother. And even if we know Ephedia and the throne and home, she doesn't. So while I get what you're saying, Iris doesn't."

Mephisto pressed his fingertips to the sore spot. "Yeah, I got that."

"She still shouldn't have hit you."

The redhead shrugs. "I... guess I could have worded it better."

"Isn't part of your charm your lack of tact?"

He glances at her sharply, but there's a smile on her lips.

Mephisto snorts. "I thought so."

Talia pulls his hand off of his face. "If it's any consolation, I don't think you'll bruise."

"And if it does?"

"Then I'll be very disappointed in your skin, since it didn't receive my blessing."

He can't help but snort again, pressing his nose to the back of his hand to try to hide the noise.

"Wasn't Izira always the more humble between you two?"

Talia hums and shrugs, hiding her own smile. "What does it matter?"

"You always liked to pretend you were more like her." He lifts a finger and taps her nose. "But I still remember the little spitfire I met, once."

Her eyebrows rose.

"You do?"

"Don't you?"

There's a heavy pause.

Talia bit her lip.

His eyebrow rose.

"Was it during the war?"

"Yes, but before Xeris burned."

"Before Runic burned?"

He nodded.

They let the moment between them rest, just breathing together, sitting together, thinking.

It had been a very, very long time.

When they were young, not long before Xeris was attacked, before Talia was orphaned, there'd been a moment where it felt like peace was impenetrable.

The prince and princess of Runic, a terrible two, graced the Xerin royal gardens.

The trip wasn't one that Talia had known about, wasn't something she had been warned of. One moment it was her sitting by the fountain with her eyes narrowed as she tried to work on a new spell she'd seen Izira perform, the next there were two faces appearing in the rippling waters by her reflection, peering at the blue crystal.

Talia leaned her head back and looked at Mephisto, and he looked back at her.

"You used to keep your hair in a ponytail." She offered.

"And we got you in a braid, once." His mouth curled into a smile.

She couldn't help but laugh at that, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "A lot has changed since then."

"Yes, a lot has."

The pause resumes.

Back then they'd just been kids, willing to play together and pass the time. Then they'd been on opposite sides of the war, and now things had... mostly settled down.

"She's going to find you in a bit." Talia adds.

He glances at her.

"She was pacing in her room when I glanced in, I think she was totally freaking out. She didn't mean to hit you."

Mephisto offered a bittersweet smile. "I didn't mean to make her mad enough to."

"You should still talk to her, though. About... the argument."

"And what if we fight again?"

"Then you'll just have to remember what's more important. Do you want to argue about politics and family, or do you want to sit down with the girl you love and do whatever gross, sappy stuff you two do together?"

He snorted. She smiled.

"Of course I'd rather be sappy and cute with Iris. But at the same time, what am I supposed to do? Just pretend that nothing happened?"

Talia lifted her hand and flicked his nose. "Wait, think it over, and figure out some tact."

"I thought part of my charm was the lack of tact?" He asks, parroting her words from earlier.

"It is, but if you want to figure this out, you could always borrow some of mine."

"And what about that boyfriend of yours?"

Talia glanced at him. "Lev?"

"Yes, the thief."

"We're fine."

"And you two don't get into arguments too?" His eyebrow rises yet again.

She offers a smile. "Please, when we get into fights we channel our energy into something else."

He snorted and ruffled her hair. "Oh, really now?"

She batted at his hand, giggling in an unguarded way that he hadn't heard in a long time. "Yes, but be quiet!"

They close their mouths, hear footsteps outside, soft on the wood. Finally there's a gentle knocking.

Talia offers him a smile, reaches over to squeeze his shoulder. "You've got this."

He offers a smile back, the both of them standing.

Talia opens the door, reveals Iris wringing her hands, biting her lip.

The xerin was hardly out of the way before the blonde was in his arms, cooing over the red mark, tears burning in the corners of her big blue eyes, apologizing and asking if it'd hurt, going up onto her tiptoes to kiss his jaw.

Mephisto didn't hate princesses. How could he?


End file.
